Thermostat configuration and control

Abstract

Techniques herein disclose a method for initializing a home automation device using near-field communication and a separate computing device. The computing device receives a request to initialize a home automation device. The computing device receives an indication of one or more initialization settings for the home automation device. The computing device installs the one or more initialization settings onto the home automation device by sending the one or more initialization settings to the home automation device using near-field communication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device, a request to initialize a home automation device;   receiving, by the computing device, an indication of one or more initialization settings for the home automation device; and   installing, by the computing device, the one or more initialization settings onto the home automation device by sending the one or more initialization settings to the home automation device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein installing the one or more initialization settings onto the home automation device further comprises:
 activating, by the computing device, a loop antenna in the computing device; and   transmitting, by the loop antenna in the computing device, and through inductive coupling, an electrical current to a loop antenna in the home automation device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to initialize the home automation device comprises one or more of:
 receiving, by the computing device, an indication of user input selecting an initialize option within an application installed on the computing device, and   receiving, by the computing device, an indication of user input to run the application installed on the computing device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 without receiving a second request to initialize a second home automation device, installing, by the computing device, the one or more initialization settings onto the second home automation device by sending the one or more initialization settings to the second home automation device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 controlling, by the computing device, the home automation device by sending one or more operational instructions to the home automation device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 prior to controlling the home automation device, receiving, by the computing device, an indication of user input defining the one or more operational instructions.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more initialization settings comprise one or more of:
 a device label,   a location indication,   a backlight setting,   an operation schedule,   installer setup files,   one or more operation restrictions,   one or more operational instructions,   one or more sensor settings, and   an internet connection.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more operational instructions comprise one or more of:
 a power setting,   a temperature setting,   a safety temperature setting,   a unit setting,   a humidity control setting,   a machine learning setting,   a light setting,   an efficiency setting,   a home/away setting,   a cooling/heating mode,   a volume setting,   an input mode setting,   a channel setting,   a voice control setting,   a camera setting,   a lock setting,   a color setting, and   a directional setting.   
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device, a request to control a thermostat device;   receiving, by the computing device, an indication of one or more operational instructions for the thermostat device; and   controlling, by the computing device, the thermostat device by sending the one or more operational instructions to the thermostat device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more operational instructions comprise one or more initialization settings, and wherein controlling the thermostat device comprises:
 installing, by the computing device, the one or more initialization settings onto the thermostat device by sending the one or more initialization settings to the thermostat device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more initialization settings comprise one or more of:
 a device label,   a location indication,   a backlight setting,   an operation schedule,   installer setup files,   one or more operation restrictions,   one or more sensor settings, and   an internet connection.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the thermostat device further comprises:
 activating, by the computing device, a loop antenna in the computing device; and   transmitting, by the loop antenna in the computing device, and through inductive coupling, an electrical current to a loop antenna in the thermostat device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the request to control the thermostat device comprises one or more of:
 receiving, by the computing device, an indication of user input selecting a control option within an application installed on the computing device, and   receiving, by the computing device, an indication of user input to run the application installed on the computing device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 without receiving a second request to control a second thermostat device, controlling, by the computing device, the second thermostat device by sending the one or more operational instructions to the second thermostat device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more operational instructions comprise one or more of:
 a power setting,   a temperature setting,   a safety temperature setting,   a unit setting,   a humidity control setting,   a machine learning setting,   a light setting,   an efficiency setting,   a home/away setting, and   a cooling/heating mode.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a home automation device comprising a first loop antenna; and   a computing device comprising a second loop antenna and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 receive a request to initialize the home automation device; 
 receive an indication of one or more initialization settings for the home automation device; and 
 install the one or more initialization settings onto the home automation device by sending the one or more initialization settings to the home automation device using near-field communication. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein, to install the one or more initialization settings onto the home automation device:
 the second loop antenna is configured to activate and transmit, through inductive coupling, an electrical current to the first loop antenna in the home automation device.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 without receiving a second request to initialize a second home automation device, install the one or more initialization settings onto the second home automation device by sending the one or more initialization settings to the second home automation device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 control the home automation device by sending one or more operational instructions to the home automation device using near-field communication.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the home automation device comprises one or more of:
 a thermostat device,   a home security system,   a refrigerator,   a washing machine,   a dishwasher,   a clothes dryer,   a camera,   a speaker system,   a television,   a vacuum cleaner, and   a light.